Before Gold Became Ash
by LeotheVirgo
Summary: Every chapter has an ending and now it's time to turn the page. AU/OC CloudxAerith
1. Wine and Dine

Disclaimer I don't own Final Fantasy VII or the Maroon 5 song, Secret. I do however own all of original characters that are not featured in FFVII.

Before Gold Became Ash

Chapter 1

Wine and Dine

The young blonde woman sitting at the booth in the corner was far from ladylike. She sat, legs spread apart with a cigarette pursed between her lips. Her clothes certainly didn't match the restaurants formal attire. Her tight baby blue top left nothing to the imagination. To be honest Cloud would have preferred to imagine rather than have this image in this head. Her short skirt and fish net stocking reminded him of the typical stereotyped hooker. He was slightly surprised she was let in looking like that but he guessed if she was a hooker she was here to fulfil her of so civic duties. For a moment he thought this was the women Zack wanted him to meet, the girl he was crazy about. But after seeing the stunning brunette in the booth with Zack, he realised how wrong he was. Cloud felt slightly guilty about thinking his friend could even consider a woman he had just spent minutes looking at in disgust.

"Late as usual Cloud." The two men briefly embraced.

"So what's her name?"

"Belle, Cloud you'll love her." The smile on Zack's face meant a lot to Cloud. It was great to see him happy after they had been through so much.

"Hope you don't mind, I invited Tifa to dinner with us. I thought you'd like that." Zack patted Cloud on back.

"Ever had the feeling someone's been talking about you?" Tifa turned around to see Zack smirking while patting Cloud on the back.

"Hmm." Belle took another sip from her margarita.

"Hey, go easy on that. How many of them have you had?" Tifa moved her hand towards the drink.

"I've only had three. Tifa stop acting like my mom." Belle quickly downed the margarita. "You would too if you knew the truth." Belle looked down at her empty glass and ran her finger around the salt.

"What are you talking about Belle?" Belle stopped playing with the salt and looked up.

"Hi, I'm Belle. I've heard a lot about you Cloud." Belle held out her slender arm. Cloud gently shuck her hand and sat down.

"How've you been Cloud?" Tifa smiled.

"Busy. You?" Cloud picked up his menu. He felt his stomach starting a riot.

"Same I guess." Disappointed Cloud took no notice of her dress, Tifa too picked up her menu. Glancing over his menu, Cloud saw something that caught his eye. She was beautiful and sitting only a couple of feet away Cloud felt nervous.

"I don't know what to have. What are you having Cloud?" Zack continued to look down at his menu but looked up when Cloud didn't respond. Zack followed Cloud's eyes to the cute brunette sitting in the next booth.

"You should go talk to her." Cloud felt himself blushing.

"Wow I've never seen a guy go so red." Belle helped herself to Zack's drink.

"Hey! Belle!" Zack snatched his drink back. "Fine I'll go talk to her for you." Zack quickly got up before Cloud could stop him.

In the booth next to them, they must have reached maximum capacity. Five girls and five guys all sat laughing round the table. Zack walked up to the girl and introduced himself.

"Hi...Aerith...how are you?" Zack didn't recognize at her first. She looked different. Instead of a single braid, her hair was lose and curly. Her hair was much shorter about 3 inches short of her elbow.

"Oh hi Zack, I'm okay."Aerith's smile was filled with awkward confusion.

"Grab a sit kid. We're playing How Much Of A Jackass Are You? So far Danny boy here is winning by an astounding 50,000 points, followed by Troy with a close second of 45,000, then both Charlie and Alex and tie third with a mere 100 points. So Zack was it? I'm Rachael and how much of a Jackass are you?" The woman winked at Zack with a cigarette loosely fitted between her lips.

"So you told her about us." Zack scratched his head.

"No actually, but that says a lot about how you think about yourself. So why are you here?"

"I think my friend Cloud, over there likes you. I just wanted to know if you were interested in talking to him." In the background Maroon 5's Secret played smoothly.

_Watch the sunrise  
Say your goodbyes  
Off we go  
Some conversation  
No contemplation  
Hit the road_

Car overheats  
Jump out of my seat  
On the side of the highway baby  
Our road is long  
Your hold is strong  
Please don't ever let go  
Oh No 

"Tell him to come over here himself." Rachael took a drag from her cigarette and looked over at the booth Cloud sat. "Mmm, why do you always get them first? You're like a freakin' sex magnet."

"I'm sorry was that a compliment?"

"A Rachael Michael's original darling." Rachael pecked Aerith on the cheek.

"So what do you say?" Zack leaned on the table.

_I know I don't know you... _

"Is he anything like you?" Aerith asked with obvious interest.

"No not really...is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Okay maybe I'm interested." Aerith smiled at Cloud who now blushed even deeper.

"Hey, hey! Waiter, pull up a table so these wonderful people can join us." Rachael waved her hand at the waiter.

"Yes ma'm." The waiter pulled over a table and placed four chairs around it. Zack waved for the other to join him.

"What's he doing?" Tifa saw Belle sneak another sip of Zack's drink.

"I think he wants us to join him." Belle got up and walked over to the booth. Tifa looked over at Cloud.

"You never said he was on a date. Zack I think you've earned yourself 100,000 points. What do say girls? Beth, tell him what he's won." Rachael beaconed another waiter to the table and whispered something in his ear. The waiter smiled and left the table. Tifa got up to sit down with the others, Cloud slowly followed.

"He's not. Tifa's just a friend of ours."

"Just a friend wearing that dress? I bet." Rachael whispered than snorted.

"Rachael behave yourself. This is why I don't take you out in public." Cloud nervously approached the table.

"You should have left my leash on me." Rachael took another sip of her drink.

"Cloud this is Aerith. Aerith, Cloud."

_But I want you... so bad..._

_Everyone has a secret ohh can they keep it..?_

"Nice to meet you Cloud."

"Likewise."

_Oh no they can't..._

"Danny, move your fat ass so Cloud can sit down in front of this beautiful woman." Rachael winked and smiled at Cloud.

"Which one Rach?" Danny smirked.

"If you had said Troy was sitting in front of the sexiest woman in the universe, I would have taken off 10,000 points but you're only getting 5,000."

The others continued playing the game and having their own conversations but Cloud and Aerith were only paying attention to each other.

"Did Cloud just laugh?" Zack asked Tifa. Tifa smiled then rolled her eyes.

"So Cloud, what is it you do?" Aerith asked twirling her hair around her finger.

"Different things, deliveries, maintenance, what needs doing."

"Hmm, a jack of all trades I see." Was that sparkle always in her eyes or was it the candle light?

"What do you like doing?" No one had ever looked or sounded as interested as she was about him. There was something in her voice and her eyes that was just sincere.

"What do you mean? For fun?" Cloud started rubbing his chin. That was a good question. What did he do for fun?

"Come on there must be something." Cloud started shaking his head. "I guess we'll have to invent something fun for you to start doing."

"Hey Cloud, can you come outside for a minute?" Zack held up drunken Belle on his shoulder.

"I'll be right back." Cloud helped Zack hold Belle up as they left the restaurant.

"Thanks Cloud. I'll take Tifa home. Some fresh might help Belle sober up." Tifa had started walking Belle. "And I'll call you tomorrow not too early of course."

"Why was it that the first thing I thought of when you said we need to find something fun for him start doing, was you two going at it like rabbits?" Aerith cringed.

"Thanks for that image." Aerith took another sip from her glass.

"Hun, I think you're getting the wrong image. Don't think about the rabbits, think about-"

"Shut up he's coming." Aerith nudged Rachael.

"That man over in that corner's been staring at you all night." Aerith waved the cloud of cigarette smoke away from her. "Personally I don't like the way he's been looking at you." The man in the corner winked and smiled at Aerith.

"Did you want to leave?"

"I bet she does." Rachael slipped her drink quietly.

"See you tomorrow Rachael." Aerith got up taking her coat.

"Oh ma'm, this is for you, from the gentleman in that booth over there." The man dressed in a tuxedo raised his glass to Aerith.

"Send it back." Aerith put on her jacket.

"What did I say sex magnet." Rachael whispered. Aerith linked Cloud's arm as they headed out the restaurant door.

"Hey Cloud ever had the feeling that somewhere in the world someone's taking a peek in Pandora's Box?"

"Taking a peek? Someone's ripped off the lid." Aerith giggled.

"Cloud have you ever been a body guard?" Her tone became serious. Briefly stopping he looked at her.

"No why?" The night was silent. Something about it felt eerie.

"I have the feeling that someone's following us and I'm not a paranoid person." Aerith held onto Cloud's arm just a little bit tighter. Cloud looked into the puddle to find a reflection but instead noticed tiny ripples.

"No one usually sends me back a drink. Maybe I miss read you, would you like something a bit stronger? I have a bar at my apartment." The man in the tuxedo approached them.

"Not interested." Aerith turned her back to continue walking.

"Wait, come on, we'll have fun." The man grabbed Aerith's elbow.

"Hey, she's not interested." Cloud grabbed his and flung it away from her.

"Buddy, get going, I wouldn't want you to get hurt." The man rubbed his hand and looked up at Cloud.

"Don't worry about me." Cloud's confidence was reassuring to Aerith.

"No, I wouldn't if this was a fair fight, you know one against one but maybe ten against one might make me fret a little inside." The man backed away and from the shadows came ten other men that surrounded them.

The three men in front of Cloud ran at him, fist first. Cloud grabbed the middle man's fist and twisted it, making it face then punch the man on his left. Cloud moved out of the way of the first man and stuck out his foot. The man fell grazing his knees. Four others ran at Cloud from other directions. The first jumped in the air attempting to kick Cloud's head in mid air. Cloud ducked and rolled over. The man in mid air instead ended up kicking, breaking the nose of and landing on the man running the opposite direction of him, towards Cloud. The other two men attempted attacking Cloud, while the final three went after Aerith. Two of the men started picking Aerith up but were 

struggling. The third man tried to assist but instead was met with a high heel in the crotch. The two and even Aerith shuddered when they saw his instant reaction. While the two men empathised with the third man's pain Aerith bit the arm of the man who had his arm around her neck. The man screamed. The other man shocked by the screaming let go of Aerith giving her enough time to bang their heads together. Aerith let out a sigh of relief and turned to watch her bodyguard.

One of the men pulled out a gun from his jacket. As the man pulled the trigger Cloud ran up the body of the other man. The bullets passed through the man but Cloud landed wrong, hurting his shoulder. Aerith ran at the man with the gun and pushed him on to the ground, struggling to get his gun. Aerith slammed her head against the man and took the gun from him. The man on the floor helplessly looked up at Aerith. Aerith's response to his puppy dog eyes was a stamped foot on Mans favoured asset. Aerith searched in the dim street light to find the man who had approached her but he couldn't be found.

"Cloud are you okay?" Aerith threw the gun over the bridge.

"Wow." Cloud stood up massaging his shoulder.

"What?"

"I've just never seen a girl attack a guy with a gun like that."

"Throw caution into the wind."


	2. Meet the Stalker

Meet the Stalker 

Belle opened the closet, still drunk searching for her pyjamas. Feeling the cold metal she dropped hit, making a clanging sound. Zack rushed in the room.

"Belle what's gotten into you?" Zack picked up the sword and placed it back into the closet.

"Does she know? It was a sorta stupid thing weren't it really baby? Setting him up with her." Belle giggled and attempted to jump on the bed, but sadly missed and banged her nose.

"For crap sake Belle." Zack ran into the bathroom dragging off about a whole roll of toilet paper.

"Look Zack red rain drops! Hello red rain drops. Oh no Zack, oh no!!" Belle started freaking out.

"Stay still Belle." Zack tried pressing the toilet paper to her nose put she kept moving.

"Zack." She whispered. "I think my nose is on its period. Shhh." Belle started laughing.

"Damn it Belle stay still!"

"Do you still love her Zack?" Belle reached under the bed grabbing a bottle of booze. "That woman you cheated on me for?" Belle burst out into laughter again.

"How's your shoulder?" Aerith asked switching on the light in the living room. Her living room was unlike most who lived in this town. For one it was filled with pictures, happy, smiling, fun pictures. Cloud believed she had more pictures than furniture and defiantly not enough places to keep the photos. Cloud noticed a picture with someone familiar in it sitting on the window sill.

"You knew Zack?" Aerith was in the kitchen preparing coffee.

"Yeah you could say that." She shouted from the other room. "We went out years ago." Cloud followed her into the kitchen. "Saying 'years ago' makes me feel old." Aerith turned around and handed Cloud the mug of steamy coffee.

"Maybe I should get going." Why would Zack hook him up with his ex? Cloud felt himself losing his confidence.

"You're not going anywhere until I look at your shoulder." Aerith carried her mug into the living. Cloud brought his mug into the next room.

"I'm fine it just stings a little." Cloud set the mug on the coffee table.

"Okay if it's fine then let me see it." Aerith patted the spot next to her on the sofa. "Come on take it off." Cloud sat down. "Do you need my help taking it off?" Cloud's face turned a light pink. "I meant because you hurt your shoulder. You blush easily don't you? I bet your friends can always tell when you're thinking dirty thoughts." Aerith smiled at him and help Cloud ease out of his shirt on the left side.

"Wow someone works out a lot." Aerith tried focusing her attention back on tending to Cloud, rather than eyeball his yummy six-pack.

"I was in the army."

"Was? How come you're out?"

"Lets just stay people in the army are just as crooked as any. I guess you say they're worse, they say they fight for justice and safety but that not it at all." Aerith notice the pain and passion in his eyes. Gently she slid the shirt off his right shoulder. Aerith got off the coach and kneeled down in front of him. Aerith looked directly into his eyes. Cloud stared back a moment longer than felt he should. Aerith leaned closer into him. Cloud lowered his head, meeting her lips in a sensual kiss. As always, whenever a moment started to heat up, something would come along an end the stop the moment, in some cases it would be parents walking in or the baby crying, friends walking in, the house goes on fire and so on but in this case the sound of the clock striking the hour caused the two to part.

"I should get going."

"It's a bruise." Aerith got up and went into the kitchen grabbing an icepack. Cloud sat in the other room unsuccessfully trying to put his shirt back on.

"Leave it off." Aerith pressed the ice pack on to shoulder. "You're staying here, right here in this chair, in this position and I'm going to stay with you." Aerith sat in chair and swung Cloud's left arm around her then snuggled up to him.

"Let me make this clear to you all. If I want something I get the second I want it. I want that woman I saw tonight. I want to know her name, how old she is, her job, her eye colour, her cup size, I want to know everything there is about her and I want to know right now."

"Sir-I-we don't." The man in the tuxedo grabbed the other mans head and slapped it repeatedly against the table.

"Now! I want to know who she is and you better find something for me Tommy. I know who much you love your kids and it would devastate me if something were to happen to them."

"Yes sir."

The sun crept into the sky, seeping through the curtains that were now shining on sleeping beauty (I'm talking about Cloud of course.) Instead of waking up with his arm around Aerith, he woke up the smell of fresh coffee, cinnamon bagels, with beacon, eggs and cheese. Cloud rubbed his eyes and stretched forgetting about his injured shoulder but surprisingly most of the pain was gone.

"Sleep okay?" Aerith walked into the room with a tray of the most delicious looking breakfast he'd ever seen.

"Yeah you?" Cloud started putting his shirt back on.

"After you went to sleep I ran into my bed." Aerith sat down the tray and helped Cloud put on his shirt. "I'm kidding you can stop looking at me like that now." Aerith gently kissed the top of Cloud's shoulder then put his sleeve over it.

"What time is it?" Cloud helped himself to a healthy bite his sandwich stuffer.

"Nine o'clock. Somewhere you got to be by any chance?"

"I'm helping Zack pick out a ring for um, Belle."

"Zack's serious about this one huh."

"How serious were you two?" Aerith shrugged.

"He just didn't understand what I wanted."

"Which is?" Cloud looked up at her.

"A little luxury is all I ask for Cloud." Aerith smiled then headed into another room. "I'm going to go take a shower."

"I might be gone when you're done. But I'll see you tonight for dinner."

"I will?"

"You owe me a date. My body guard service isn't free."

"What time should I be expecting you?"

"Eight okay?"

"See you then." Aerith quickly kissed Cloud and went to take her shower.

"So how was you're night?" Rachael had done nothing but pester Aerith all morning. Ignoring her questions yet again, Aerith started stripping off the bed sheets and replacing them with new ones.

"How did Mr. Johnson die?" Aerith looked down at his medical records at the foot of the bed.

"Peacefully in his sleep, hey stop looking at that!" Rachael tried grabbing the records from her.

"I wouldn't exactly call dying of cardiac arrest peaceful." Aerith slipped the records back in their folder then took the flowers off the window sill. "Rachael, stop trying to shield me."

"Why are you getting rid of the flowers?" Rachael pulled out her packet of Pall Mall cigarettes.

"Our next patient has allergies. We're going to have to neutralise the air in here." Aerith took a deep breathe of the flowers, trout lilies, her favourite.

"You should keep them. He'd want you to have them." Rachael took the lighter out her pocket and lit her cigarette.

"Hey! Put that out! What if Dr. Crescent sees you? We'll both get the heat." Aerith rushed over to Rachael and grabbed the cigarette.

"Both? Please! He so wants you. You should see the way he stares at your ass." Hearing foot steps Aerith started to panic. Rachael ran to the self and started spraying the room. Aerith put out the cigarette in the flower pot.

"Nurse Gainsborough..." Dr. Crescent watched Rachael running around spraying the room. "What are you two doing?"

"Dr. Crescent, our next patient has pollen allergies, we were just so eager about getting rid of the pollen." Rachael flashed him a nervous smile.

Crescent rolled his eyes and continued. "Nurse, there's someone here to see you. This isn't you're lunch break so make it quick."

"Yes Dr." Aerith handed the flower pot over to Rachael and headed out the door.

"And Nurse." Aerith stopped and turned to Dr. Crescent crossing her fingers behind her back. "I heard you sighed up for that doctors training course."

"I have Dr."

"I'm glad that we have at least one intelligent respectable staff member sighing up for the course. Well done and good luck." It was the first time that Aerith had ever seen him smile. Aerith looked back at Rachael who now mouthed 'sex magnet'. Aerith smiled back at him, then turned to reception to greet her guest.

"Hey Beth, Crescent said there was someone waiting for me here."

"Hi Aerith, I thought you were seeing that blonde guy from last night." Beth looked at her in curiosity.

"I am." Aerith sighed when she realised who the guest was.

"Aerith, I missed you last night." The man who had approached her yesterday now stood before her

"Visiting hour starts at one sir." Aerith picked up the phone ready to call security.

"You have beautiful eyes, like emeralds. I like emeralds Aerith. I recently just bought some." The man reached into his pocket and took out a velvet box. "I was thinking of you when I bought them." He smiled taking the necklace out the velvet box.

"You need to leave sir." Aerith dialled the number for security.

"My name's Tony." Tony unhooked the necklace.

"Well Tony, it was very nice meeting you but I don't like being stalked. To me it's sort of a turn off. Now you need to leave and go home or do whatever it is you need to be doing."

"You have a really nice body." Tony licked his lips, leaning on the reception desk.

"I know but Tony you need to go." Tony put his arm around the back of her neck and pulled her to him. Beth grabbed the clipboard and repeatedly hit Tony over the head. Tony backed away and then ran back towards Aerith. Tony grabbed her and started kissing around her neck. Aerith kneed him in the groin but he didn't let go of her. He briefly groaned then went back to kissing her. Tony tried unbuttoning her uniform as the security guards late as usual arrived and pulled him off Aerith. Aerith backed into the desk and started breathing heavily. Beth ran into the kitchen quickly filling a cup of water. Beth came back to find Aerith on the floor still in shock. Beth handed her the cup of water and then ran to the phone.

"Will Dr. Crescent come to Main reception please! Dr. Crescent to Main reception." Beth went back on the floor and to console Aerith. The security guards were still trying to escort Tony off the premises. Beth got back up and dialled the police. Dr. Crescent rushed into the room hearing the shouts of a man outside the hospital and a shocked Aerith sitting up against the desk.

"What's going on?" Crescent squatted done next to Aerith.

"I just called the police Dr. that man has just assaulted Aerith."

"Ms. Doughty, could you call Nurse Michaels down here please to escort Aerith home?" Crescent took Aerith's arm around his neck and helped her up. "Lets get you in a chair okay." Rachael rushed into main reception. Dr. Crescent sat next to Aerith and softly caressed her face.

"What happened? Aw babe, are you okay?" Rachael ran over to Aerith and hugged her.

"Nurse, could you take Aerith home? I don't think she's needs to be working right now. Aerith you can have today off but I'd like to see you Nurse Michaels, for the night shift. I'll find another nurse to fill in for you." Rachael nodded and walked Aerith out of the hospital.

"So you slept at her house but you didn't have sex?" Zack opened the door to the dinner.

"Yep." Cloud sat down at the table looking at the menu.

"And why not?"

"Why didn't you tell me you dated her before?" Cloud looked out the window of the dinner.

"What? Is that why? Cloud we didn't even get that far, we were no where near even thinking about having sex." Zack directly looked at Cloud trying to get him to look at him.

"After you guys left, we started leaving and then this guy sent her a drink. She brushed him off then she felt someone following her, the guy who sent her a drink followed us and started hitting on her. Ten of his muscle tried to attack me." Cloud still looked out the window.

"Well I guess that spoils the mood. You think that guy will come back?"

"Hi boys what can I get you?" Tifa stood with notepad and pen in hand waiting for them to order.

"Hey Tifa, didn't know you worked here."

"Yeah, until I can enough money to buy the bar off Old man Bridges. How was your date Cloud." Tifa smiled.

"Good. Can I have-"

"Can we two burgers and some French fires please oh and two Millers." Zack took Cloud's menu and handed it back to Tifa.

"Coming right up."

"I didn't like the look of that guy." Rachael passed her cigarette to Aerith. Aerith waved it away and took a sip of her hot chocolate.

"How did he find out who I was?" Rachael shrugged.

"That's creepy Aer, you should press charges."

"Are you kidding me? Did you see that emerald necklace he was offering me? That must have cost thousands. No. What would be the point of pressing charges? He's probably some rich jerk who always gets what he wants, he'd be out on bail by the end of day." Aerith notice a white button on the sofa where Cloud slept. Aerith picked it up and held it in her hand.

"You seeing him again?" Rachael asked standing near the window taking a drag.

"Tonight." Aerith smiled remembering how warm his body was.

"I can't believe you didn't do anything last night." Rachael shook her head.

"He hurt his shoulder and not everyone does that one a first date Rachael." Aerith giggled.

"Why the hell not I ask? He was in a sofa, you could have gone on-"

"Okay, you seem to really be enjoying those images."

"Someone has to." Rachael took another drag from her cig then sat down.

"Aer I think you should move in with me for a bit." Aerith put down her mug.

"Why because of today?"

"A guy you don't know, found out your name and where you work in a couple of hours. You think he doesn't know or can't find out where you live?" Aerith breathe in deeply. "What if next time Beth or Crescent or me, or Cloud aren't around. Like you said you kneed him in the nuts and the guy barely reacted to it. That's every man's weak spot and nothing happened. You need to leave here, just come stay with me for a little while."

"Rachael I love this place, I'm not leaving." The cool air from outside started to make Aerith shiver. She got up to close the window. As she closed the window, she noticed an emerald necklace on the window sill.


End file.
